Bigotry Determined Webster’s New
World Dictionary defines “bigot” as “a person who holds blindly and
intolerantly to a particular creed, opinion, etc.” and “bigotry” as “the
behavior, attitude, or beliefs of a bigot.”

Police State Thomas Kachadurian’s column might get the facts right but misses the story.

Oppose The Shell Game Is this a
Shell Game? As a Democrat, I support increased taxes on motor fuels and
vehicles to provide funding for our transportation infrastructure.

Sugars On The Way Senator Patrick
Colbeck from Canton introduced a bill and the Senate passed it allowing
schools and Girl & Boy Scout troops to have up to 3 bake sales per
week.

Holly Wren Spaulding

FeaturesHolly Wren Spaulding
It was 5 a.m. and I had the loveless job of rousing the rest of the tired crew for another long day of cross-country travel, interviews, and shooting in South Africa. Weary, yet determined, we had an ambitious proposal: to make a feature documentary about the threats to our global water supply, what that means for the survival of humans and the planet, and what can be done to address the growing crisis. Irena Salina, director of the now newly completed film FLOW: For Love of Water, had wanted to get to the far eastern coast of South Africa to visit a Zulu village where people were sick, and in many cases, dying, due to lack of access to clean drinking water. To do so, wed drive all day through uncertain terrain, navigate language barriers, forebear the oppressive heat, and eventually find a hotel well after midnight. Tomorrow, wed be in an urban community where poor people were having their taps disconnected for lack of funds to pay the water company. What was I doing? Why was I racing around southern Africa with a multinational team of independent filmmakers?

BooksHolly Wren Spaulding
In anticipation of his appearance in Traverse City next week, Irish author Ramor Ryan took time out to talk about his new book, Clandestines: The Pirate Journals of an Irish Exile, life in a conflict zone, and his political coming of age during the embattled Ireland of the 1980s.

NE: I understand youve read in Ireland, England, Germany, Mexico, New York, San Francisco  were lucky to make it onto your tour. Ramor Ryan: I have to say that I have wanted to visit Traverse City for many years, as I have very special connections with the community there!

Other OpinionsHolly Wren Spaulding
What‘s the big deal over water these days? More and more people around the world are confronting this question. Here in Michigan, a controversial water bottling scheme in Mecosta County has resulted in increased public debate on the subject, as well as a lawsuit, and a variety of “direct actions,“ including a recent blockade of the bottling plant by activists calling for an end to what they call “water theft.“